Measles is known as the major disease among the young children which kills about 540 people a day or 22 people every hour around the world. The disease mostly occurs in children who are under the age of five, and because measles can cause death. So in this case everyone should know the cause, preventions, and signs of the disease.

"More than 95 percent of measles death occurs in low-income and developing countries like eastern Mediterranean and Africa (Measles World Health). This tells us that these countries do not have good medical care and are not aware of the measles disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) "in 2007, about 82 percent of the world's children received one dose of measles vaccine by their first birthday through routine health service, up from 72 percent in 2000" (Measles World Health). By having the measles vaccination, it reduced the risk of measles about 74 percent.

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English: Immunization coverage with measles contai...

Measles cases reported in the United States before...

Measles starts with the virus and slowly spreads all over the body until the person gets better. This disease lasts for about 14 to 18 days but it also can take longer than that. It all depends how soon a person who has the disease started to take care of it.

When a person gets this disease, the first thing he or she notice will be high fever. This begins in 10 to 12 days after the person is exposed to the virus and ends in four to seven days. During this period of time, a person will also have a runny nose, cough and red eyes. It is also been said that measles occur "among poorly nourished young children, especially those who insufficient vitamin A, or whose immune system have been weaken by HIV/AIDs or other disease (Measles World Health). This shows that other diseases like AIDs also can cause measles if they are affective and have done damage to some part of the body. Worlds Health Organization's report shows that; "the most serious complications associated with measles include blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhea and related dehydration, ear infections, or severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia" (Measles World Health).

The disease is not only found in developing countries like Africa but other countries also suffered from measles. For example, in late 60's, the report shows that measles infection affects three to four million people in United State. It has been said that very less case of measles can be reported if the people will not afraid of vaccinations. In United State it is compulsory to have vaccine to every child who is attending school. If there is no report showing that the child has not received the vaccination, then the child will not be allowed in the school. Through this process the "Health authorities declared that measles have been eliminated from the United State in 2000" (Measles Returns). Since then, there are few cases reported every year but these cases mostly came from abroad. People who come to United States without getting measles shorts, most likely they are the ones who have measles in the future. This is very dangerous because if a person has this disease, it spends very fast among the people (Measles Returns).

This disease is found in human and it passes from one person to the other person and so forth. This virus speeds by people coughing and sneezing in the air. This can happen during casual contact with an infected person or by encountering viruses that have been released into a car, room or other confined space. After a person caught or sneezes, the virus remains active in the air for about 2 hours. ''It can be transmitted individual from four days prior to the onset of the rash to four days after the rash erupts". Which mean the total of eight days, a person can transfer virus to someone else before he or she gets better.

Once a person has this disease, there are no special drugs to cure measles after it develops in the body. The only way to get rid of this virus is not to have it, and this is done by vaccine. "The vaccine cannot stop measles from developing in someone who already has the virus" (WBm). So the best thing will be that, person should get the vaccine before the measles or virus gets him. "Measles vaccine contains live measles virus that has been weakened by a long period of growth in animal cells in a test tube (WBm). So basically, the doctors put the virus in the body by injections. But that virus is not that effective like the once which is in the air by another sick person. Before the injection, the doctors put the virus in the test tube and leave them for long period of time. After this virus left in the test tube for long period of time, the measles becomes less active which is same as nothing. "The body reacts to the weaken virus as an ordinary virus" (Blacklow). If a person gets the measles vaccine, it will be good for them because the "Scientist do not know that how long the immunity lasts" (Blacklow). Which means it can last for years or life time. So if a person gets this vaccine he or she should not worry much about the measles.

The parents should look after their children very well. Especially the small child because they don't know about this disease and think that it is a small thing, where they turn to be careless. If the parents suspect that their child have or starts to have measles, they should contact the doctor as soon as they can. "If the doctor confirms that a child has the measles, he or she will notify health bureaus that keeps track of measles outbreaks" (Saffer). In this situation the doctor will also ask the parents to look for and report complications, such as ear infection or pneumonia. Parents also have to keep track of the child's temperature. "The eyes of the patient may be sensitive to lights and have an irritating discharged" (Saffer). In this case the parents or the person, who is looking after the child, should wipe the eyes with the clean wet clothes and keep the room light in dim. So that the light does not damage the eyes of the patient and make them blind.

Finally it can be said that measles is not an ordinary disease which will go away after few days and without harming a person. If a person does not take care of the disease as soon as possible, then he or she may find it hard to get rid and can face death. The best thing a person can do to make him and others safer is to get vaccine and have checked by his doctor whenever he has time.

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